Recent allegations have cast a shadow over the legacy of Mohamed Al Fayed, with reports emerging that one of his brothers is also implicated in heinous acts against women employed at the renowned Harrods department store in the UK. This disturbing narrative comes from the testimonies of three former staff members.
According to these women, Salah Fayed is accused of committing abusive acts in various locations—including London, the French Riviera, and Monaco—between the years 1989 and 1997. In a chilling account, one survivor claims she was raped after being drugged.
All three women have stated that they, too, faced sexual assaults or rape at the hands of Mohamed Al Fayed, who was the head of the company during that time.
To add context, Salah Fayed, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2010, was one of the trio of Fayed brothers who acquired the luxurious Knightsbridge retail establishment in 1985. One of the women, who chose to go by the name Helen, bravely recounted her harrowing experience after waiving her right to anonymity. She was just 23 when the former billionaire allegedly raped her in a hotel room in Dubai.
“He (Mohamed Al Fayed) shared me with his brother,” Helen stated, recounting her trauma. “They’ve stolen a part of me. It’s changed the course of my entire life.”
In separate discussions with the BBC, two other women corroborated Helen’s story, mentioning they endured abuse from both brothers. They claimed Salah Fayed trafficked them abroad and led them into drug use, specifically crack cocaine. One candidly remarked, “He was trying to get me hooked on crack so he could do whatever he wanted to me.”
It’s worth noting that hundreds of women have made similar allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed, who passed away at the age of 94 last year. The police have started probing some of these claims, while Harrods is reportedly in the process of settling numerous allegations against its former chairman.
Revisiting her plight from that fateful business trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in February 1989, Helen detailed how she was coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement just two months afterward. This, along with tremendous fear of retaliation, delayed her voice for over three decades.
Eventually, as she contemplated leaving her position at Harrods, an invitation to work for Salah Fayed at his residence seemed like a potential escape. However, after just two days on the job, she alleges she was drugged and raped by him and one of his associates. It wasn’t long before Helen chose to resign from Harrods, seeking a way to reclaim her life.
In a similar vein, two additional women reported experiences at Harrods that echoed Helen’s. They believed Salah Fayed lured them with false job promises, only to exploit and abuse them in the process. One of them, Rachel, was just 23 when she began assisting Salah Fayed in 1994. She recounted how she faced unsolicited advances from older men Salah introduced, and he even encouraged her to smoke from a hookah that contained crack cocaine, unbeknownst to her at the time.
Rachel initially thought she would have the option to return to Harrods if the arrangement with Salah didn’t work out. When she eventually sought to go back, however, she ended up facing sexual assault by Mohamed Al Fayed at his Park Lane residence 18 months later.
A third survivor, referred to as Rebecca, shared that she was assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed in 1997 at his home when she was just 19. In yet another twist of betrayal, he later invited her to Monaco to work as a personal secretary for Salah, where she claims she faced further assault.
In regard to these serious allegations, Harrods issued a statement expressing its support for the women who have come forward. A spokesperson remarked, “We commend the bravery of these women for speaking out and encourage them to bring forward their claims to our compensation program.”
In light of the shocking revelations, the Justice for Harrods Survivors group released a statement affirming the existence of credible evidence suggesting abuse perpetrated not just by Mohamed Al Fayed but potentially by others within the framework of the organization. “Make no mistake,” they declared, “the abuse experienced by our survivors was facilitated and enabled by a vast infrastructure—one that we must expose and dismantle.”
The Metropolitan Police have acknowledged the gravity of these accusations and have been contacted for further comment. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the troubling allegations detailed herein, please remember that help is available. Reach out to appropriate resources for support.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
